Soap lather dispenser



Aug- 22, 1933- c. c. SMITH SOAP LATHER DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet l l N VEN TOR. C?? ar/eo C. fz

A TTORNEYS Allg. 22, Q C' SMH-H Y SOAP LATHER DISPENSER Filed May 15, 1930 3 Sheets-Shea?I 2 INVENTOR.

Offer/e6 /rzz Aug. 22, 1933. c. c. SMITH 1,923,758

SOAP LATHER DISPENSER Filed May 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Shea?l 5 I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

ijatented ug. 22, 1933 i stares '1,923,758 Y YSOAP LATHER prsPENsER Charles C. Smith, East Cleveland, Ohio, assigner to Monmouth Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a Corporation of Ohio Application May 13, 1930. Serial No. 451,952

2 Claims.

This invention, as indicated, relates to a soap lather dispenser, and more particularly it comprises an apparatus adapted to cause a stream of air to interact upon a nlm oi liquid soap and to supply the user a lather requiring no further manipulation before carrying out the cleansing operations. The advantages of this device reside in the fact that through its use more satisfactory cleansing operationscanbe carried on than with solid or liquid soap and at a very considerable saving in the expense of the supply of soap.

While the device will be described in connection with the discharge of lather for cleansing purposes, it is not intended to limit the scope of the claims tothe particular apparatus or uses described, and it is conceivable that liquids whether for detergent purposes or other uses might be treated and dispensed in like manner should it be so desired. To the accomplishment of theforegoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists oi the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one oi various mechanical forms in which the principle or" the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view showing a complete dispensing device embodying the principles oi my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the base plate of said device; Fig. 3 is a side elevation or" the base plate; igA Li is an end View oi' the base plate; Fig. 5 is ay planr view of the intermediate plate iorining the top of the oat cham.- ber and the base oi the supply chamber; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of said intermediate plate; Fig. 7 is an end view oi said intermediate plate; Fig. 8 is a perspective View oi' the float-supporting plate; Fig. 9 is an elevation showing the grooved cylinder for producing the lather; and Fig. l() is a cross-sec tional view of said cylinder.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the apparatus` l provides a supply compartment 2 beneath which is an auxiliary chamber or a float compartu ment 3 and beneath the iioat compartment is provided an air pressure device 4. The supply compartment is in valved communication with the `.float compartment so as to permit liquid soap, or the like, to be admitted to the float compartment in predetermined amount andv maintained constantly at a certain level. The air pressure device communicates with the interior oiV the. float chamber through a valved passageway 5, and is (Cl. BSS- 83) formed with a minute vent 6 adjacent the top of such passageway which serves to admit the air pressure4 vslowly to the iioat chambery and prevent disturbance of the liquid level thereof, as well as any accidental entry of liquid through the 60 communicating passageway. The ball Valve 7 in the float chamber serves to prevent a suction efect in the event the air pressure device does not function immediately to admit the outside air, which thus would tend to produce ak reverse ac-f 65 tion through the air passage to the` float chamber. The float chamber 3 is formed through the interengagement of the base plate 8 and the in# termediate plate 9. The base plate has a lathe?.` discharge tube l0 which may be formed integral- 70.k ly therewith and which projects upwardly cen. trally of the base plate. and iscurved so as to provide a spout or point of discharge for the lather, spaced from the outer margin or" the base plate and to have a passageway for the lather that is 75v free of sharp turns which might tend toprevent the unobstructed flow of the lather therethrough. The lather discharge tube, as stated, projects upwardly centrally of the base plate and is received within a dome-like portion l1 formed on the in- 80 termediate plate Which serves as a cover or top for the float chamber, This dome-like portion oi the" intermediate plate is spaced from the lather discharge plate a suitable distance to admit the lather-producing cylinder`- l2 which preferably is 85 formed of hardlrubber or some similar substance having a high lcapillary eiect, and which is adapted to be slidingly engaged Witha close nt over the lather discharge tube as Wellv as being engaged with a close t within the dome-like por- 9D tion or" the intermediate plate. TheV dome-like extension of the intermediate plate projects an appreciable distance above the lather discharge pipe and the lather-producing cylinder, so as to provide at such pointr an expansion chamber 13 95 within which the liquid soap and air forming lather is thoroughly homogenized and then carried through, the discharge pipe to the point of discharge.

The lather producing cylinder is. slidingly tted 1GO over the lather discharge tube, and rests at its lower end upon a boss le formed on the base plate.. The dome-like portion on` the intermediate plate terminates short oi the base of the lather-producing cylinder as well as short of the liquid level 1.05 withinl the 'lioat chamber. Thus the -iquid level within the float chamber is held at a point Where air bubbles may react upon the film of liquid soap which has been carried into the. lower grooves or channels-of the lather-producing cylinder. These 110 grooves 15 or channels, as is clearly shown in Fig. l0, may be of any desired number, and are preferably narrow passageways wherein partial capillary action will take place adjacent their lower ends in coni ction with liquid soap. The grooves or charmes are somewhat larger than true capillary tubes in order that the air bubbles may also be admitted to the ci annels along with the nlm of liquid soap and thus produce through friction a satisfactory lather.

In order to maintain the liquid level in a predetermined relation to i e lower ends of the grooves of the lather-producing cylinder, a float mechanism is pro d d. which will admit liquid from the supply anism is'adapted to be asse iblec without screws or other fastening elements, and comprises a plate i6 preferably ci" thin sheet metal centrally apertured to peri the passage oi the lather discharge tube therethrough, and provided with a narrowed end to form a seat for the cork ilcat 17 which may be secured thereto by suitable pins engaged through spaced apertures through the plate. The opposite end oi the plate is formed with projecting cars i3 and offset shoulders adjacent thereto. The projecting ears are curved so as to form a bearing about pivot lugs 21 formed 30 on studs 22 extending downwardly from the intermediate plate a point opposite the position of the float, and having shoulders 23 on the inner sides thereof.

It will be readily un erstood that by engaging the ears of the plate over the lugs carried by the studs and engaging the offset shoulders of the plate against the side faces of the stud-s, beneath the shoulders thereon, float plate will be held l A,in pivotal engagement with the lugs so long as 40' as stated, carries a valve member, and this preferably is inthe form of a ball 24 disposed at an intermediate point between the central aperture 25 and the hinged end of the plate, in line with the discharge passageway from the supply chamber.

v The discharge passageway 2d from the supply chamber, as is clearly shown in Fig. l, comprises a cylindrical passageway formed through upstanding bosses 27, 28, formed integrally on each side of the intermediate plate in alignment with each other. extension for the discharge passageway is to provide a sediment chamber' at the base of the supply chamber so that the liquid maybe drawn from the liquid soap supply at a point which is free of foreign matter or heavier undissolved par-- ticles or the elemel ts of the soap mixture. The underside of the discharge passageway projects to a suitable position to provide a Valve seat 3l to be controlled by the valve member 24', and is preferably at a point slightly below the liquid level so that no disturbance of the liquid level will take place as the liquid soap discharges into the iloat chamber. The main body of the supply chamber preferably comprises a dome-lile member 32 which may be formed of glass, and having a supply opening 33 its upper end adapted to be closed by a metal cap 34 which may assume the form of a simple snap-on cap member. The under side of the dome is open and rests upon the intermediate plate 9 which has a flange 35 The purpose of having the upperV spaced from the margin of said plate to engage within said dome, said dome and intermediate plate to seat within a recess 36 lollned in somewhat similar flange 37 formed upon the base plate.V

Through the use or a suitable cement, the glass dome may be united to both the base plate and intermediate plate.

Any suitable source of air pressure may be utilized to operate the lather dispenser, but that illustrated is of very simple design and is readily attached and replaced when necessary. It comprises a shallow rubber bulb fil of somewhat cuplileqfcrni provi centrally of its base with a ball valve Ll? operating in a suitable valve chamber 43 provided therein, and at upper edge 44 is somewhat thickened to provide a stiff marginal iiange for engagement within a circular recess formed on the under side of the base plate. A spring ring i6 is engaged within a molded recess formed in the interior marl, al walls of the bulb and serves to maintain the marginal portion ci the bulb in air-tight relation with the depending flange on the under side of thezbase plate. The device may be fastened to any suitable point of support by means of lateral extensions 50 through which suitable securing elements may be engaged.

1t is believed that the operation of the device has already been indicated in connectiony with the description of `its construction. However, it will be pointed out that, in order to secure a supply of lather for cleansing purposes from the device, the user places his hand or hands beneath the discharge tube which, as stated, projects at a spaced distance from the side oi the device, and touches the tips of his fingers lightly against the rubber bulb closely adjacent to the discharge tube. This action forces a small quantity of air past the check valve and through the small air passage from the air chamber to the float chamber, and as such air encounters the iilm of liquid soap held by capillary attraction on the walls of the slots at the lower end of the lather cylinder, it carries portions of said soap lm into the grooves of said lather cylinder, and acts frictionally thereon to produce a lather. This action is continuous so long as the air pressure is maintained.` As these columns of lather are carried into the large space at the top of the lather producing tube, they are subjected to expansive action and further agitation and air friction which serves to thoroughly homogenize the mixture of air and soap which constitutes the lather. Thereafter the lather thoroughly homogenized will be carried into the discharge tube and to the exterior or" the device wherefrom it will be dropped into the palm of the hand of the user. The pressure at that instant will be discontinuedgupon the air bulb and this relier" of pressure will prevent further discharge of lather from the device.

The grooves of the lather-producing cylinder Will be kept free of dried' soap illm inasmuch as the material employed is hard rubber which has so smooth a surface that the lather in course of formation thereinrwill return to the liquid soap supply at the base of said cylinder. Thus the device is self-cleansing and may be maintained in operation indefinitely without other attention than supplying the necessary amount of liquid soap within the glass supply chamber.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed; provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a liquid soap supply chamber, an auxiliary chamber beneath the same and in communication therewith, means for maintaining a substantially constant level of liquid soap with in said auxiliary chamber, an outlet passageway from said auxiliary chamber having a narrow annular portion vertically disposed and divided into a plurality of narrow grooves having a slight capillary eiect adjacent their lower ends which are positioned at a point slightly below said liquid level, and means for supplying air` pressure to said auxiliary chamber to simultaneously force air and liquid soap through said outlet passageway to a point of discharge.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a base plate adapted to be secured to a point or" support, and providing a receptacle on its upper side, an outlet tube extending vertically upward centrally of said base plate and having a discharge section extending to one side adjacent said base plate, an intermediate plate forming a closure for said receptacle in said base plate to provide an auxiliary iloat4 chamber, a dome-like element on said intermediate plate to provide a liquid soap supply chamberr communicating with said auxiliary chamber, a

sleeve having a plurality of lather-forming chann nels engaged over the vertical section of said outlet tube and extending into the liquid in said auxiliary chamber, a closed cylindrical element on said intermediate plate engaged over said sleeve having its closed endr in spaced relation tothe upper end thereof and its open end terminating short of the liquid level in said auxiliary cham-V ber, means for maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in said auxiliary chamber, and means for supplying air pressure to said auxiliary chamber to cause air to frictionally engage the lm of liquidsoap within said lather-forming channels and to discharge the lather thusv formed through said outlet tube.

CHARLES C. SMITH. 

